How do I choose between carbon, bi-metal and carbide blades?

Match the construction to the hardest, most abrasive thing you cut regularly. Carbon steel is the economical choice for wood, panel products, plastics and softer non-ferrous metals. Bi-metal keeps its high speed steel edge hard at steel-cutting temperatures, so it is the default for ferrous work. Carbide-tipped blades take over on titanium, high-temperature alloys and hardened tool steels, and grit or diamond edges handle brittle, abrasive materials such as glass, ceramics and GRP that would destroy any toothed blade.

What does welded to any length mean?

Bandsaw blades run as continuous loops, and every machine takes its own loop length. We hold blade stock in coil, then cut and weld each order to the length you state, so the band fits your machine exactly rather than approximately. The custom bandsaw blades page explains the process and how to state your length.

How do I measure my bandsaw blade length?

The reliable sources are an existing band and the machine itself. Measure a band you know fits or check the machine plate or manual for the stated loop length; the measuring guide on our custom bandsaw blades page walks through both. If you can only find a wheel-to-wheel measurement, tell us the machine and we will help work the loop length out.

When should I replace a bandsaw blade?

Change the blade when it starts forcing the work rather than cutting it: feed pressure creeps up, the cut wanders or bellies, the finish roughens or teeth strip or chip. Cracks at the gullets mean the band has reached the end of its fatigue life and should come off immediately. Swapping a little early is cheaper than the scrap and downtime a failed band causes mid-cut.

The full range

Bandsaw blades: every construction, compared honestly

From carbon and bi-metal to carbide, grit, bandknives and food blades: the whole Bahco, Dakin-Flathers and Morse range compared, with every band welded to the length your machine takes.

Shop all blades How custom lengths work

How to choose a bandsaw blade construction

Every bandsaw blade balances edge hardness, body toughness and cost, and the construction sets that balance before any other choice you make. Carbon steel blades are the economical workhorse: a hardened carbon body cuts wood, panel products, plastics and softer non-ferrous metals cleanly, and costs little enough to change often. Bi-metal blades weld a high speed steel tooth edge onto a fatigue-resistant alloy backing, which keeps the edge hard at the temperatures steel cutting generates. That is why bi-metal is the default in fabrication and engineering shops.

Carbide-tipped blades carry tungsten carbide tips for the alloys that stop bi-metal: titanium, nickel-based high-temperature alloys and hardened tool steels. Grit and diamond edges abandon teeth altogether and grind through glass, ceramics, GRP and other hard, brittle materials that would shatter under tooth impact. Beyond the saw ranges sit bandknives for foam and soft materials, plus food blades in bright hygienic steel. Whatever the construction, we weld every band to the loop length your machine takes.

Suggested image

Flat lay across a steel bench: coiled blades of visibly different widths, from a narrow 6mm contour band to a wide sawmill band, teeth towards camera, graphite backdrop with one orange accent light

pages/bandsaw-blades/range-overview

The full category directory

Eleven ranges, one table. Each category name links to its full guide with products, materials guidance and buying advice.

Every category we stock, its construction and what it typically cuts
Category	Construction	Typical materials	Stocked by
Carbon Steel Blades	Hardened carbon steel body and teeth, no alloy tip	Softwood, Hardwood, Chipboard, MDF, Plastics and Non-ferrous metals	Dakin-Flathers
Bi-Metal Blades	HSS tooth edge welded to a flexible alloy steel backing	Structural steel, Mild steel, Stainless steel, Tool steel, Aluminium, Brass, Copper, Cast iron and Wood	Bahco and Morse
Carbide-Tipped Blades	Tungsten carbide tips on an alloy backing, some further coated	High-temperature alloys, Titanium, Tool steel, Cast iron, High-silicon aluminium and Large or difficult sections	Bahco and Morse
Grit and Diamond-Coated Blades	Steel band edge-coated in tungsten carbide grit or diamond, no conventional teeth	Glass, Industrial ceramics, Concrete, Quartz, Silicon, Graphite, GRP and Composites	Dakin-Flathers
Sawmill and Resaw Blades	Wide, thick-gauge, long-length bands for primary breakdown and resaw	Logs, Primary breakdown, Resaw, Hardwood and Softwood	Dakin-Flathers
Pallet Dismantling Blades	Carbon or bi-metal bands with hardened, nail-resistant teeth	Pallet timber with nails, Staples and Reclaimed wood	Dakin-Flathers
Food Processing Blades	Precision-ground, hard-tooth bright carbon steel for hygienic cutting	Meat, Poultry, Fish, Frozen products, Cheese, Fruit and vegetables and Bread	Dakin-Flathers
Bandknife Blades	Thin, toothless or lightly toothed continuous knife edge	PU foam, Rebond, Rigid insulation, Leather, Textiles, Packaging materials and Cork	Dakin-Flathers
Bandsaw Accessories	Measurement and maintenance tools for bandsaw operations	Setup and maintenance tools rather than a cutting edge	Bahco and Dakin-Flathers

53blade products in the range
3 to 100mmpublished band widths
Any lengthevery band welded to order
UKstock, despatched nationwide

What the range cuts

A representative spread from timber to titanium. Material names link to our in-depth cutting guides where one exists.

Workpiece materials against the construction that handles each
Material	Cutting guidance
Hardwood	Carbon blades cover general ripping; hardback carbon adds beam strength for straight, deep cuts and bi-metal wood blades resist blunting on abrasive species. Keep the pitch coarse enough for deep rip cuts to clear.
MDF and Chipboard	Treat resin-bonded panels as abrasive: the glue line dulls edges faster than the wood fibre. Fine, consistent carbon pitches give clean panel edges at sensible blade cost.
Mild Steel	Bi-metal is the default. The real decision is pitch: coarser for solid bar, finer for thin wall and profiles, always keeping between 4 and 24 teeth in the cut.
Stainless Steel	Stainless work hardens the moment a tooth rubs instead of cuts, so keep feed positive from the first pass. High-performance bi-metal covers most sections; carbide takes heavy or high-nickel work.
Aluminium	Soft alloys pack gullets while high-silicon castings wear edges like sandpaper. Go coarse to keep swarf moving and watch for tooth loading before it shows up as a wandering cut.
Foam	Not a saw job at all: a honed bandknife edge parts foam cleanly with no dust and no kerf loss, with toothed bandknives keeping the cut moving in denser grades.
Meat and Fish	Bright food-grade carbon blades slice rather than tear. Match tooth form to the product, coarser for carcass and bone work and finer for boneless portioning, and specify separately for frozen product.
Glass and Ceramics	Teeth shatter brittle materials, so grind through them instead: a diamond-coated edge cuts a clean, controlled kerf, and glass is normally cut wet.
GRP and Composites	Abrasive fibres and clogging resin destroy toothed edges quickly. Tungsten carbide grit is the economical pick; diamond takes the hardest laminates.

Tooth pitch and band width: the general rules

Construction decides what a blade can cut; pitch and width decide how well it cuts it. These rules hold across every category, and variable pitch bands exist precisely to cover mixed section sizes without a blade change.

Count teeth in the cut
Aim for between 4 and 24 teeth engaged in the workpiece at any moment. Fewer and each tooth takes too big a bite and can strip; more and the gullets pack with material before they clear the cut.
Go coarser for deep and soft
Deep sections and soft, gummy materials need big gullets to carry material out of the cut. If the blade slows and the swarf compacts, the pitch is too fine for the job.
Go finer for thin and hard
Thin wall tube, profiles and sheet need more teeth sharing the load so no single tooth hooks an edge. Harder materials also favour finer pitches and steadier feed.
Fit width to machine and cut
Run the widest band your machine can tension properly for straight, deep cuts: wider bands resist deflection. Drop width where the work curves or the wheels are small.

Range highlights

One representative blade from each of the eight pillar categories: the blade a first-time buyer in that category most often needs.

Shop all bandsaw blades

Where these blades work

Every industry guide maps its daily cutting mix onto the categories above, with recommended blades for the work.

Materials we cover in depth

Frequently asked questions

Tell the blade wizard your material and machine and it narrows the whole range to a shortlist.

Open the blade wizard

Bandsaw blades: every construction, compared honestly

How to choose a bandsaw blade construction

The full category directory

What the range cuts

Tooth pitch and band width: the general rules

Count teeth in the cut

Go coarser for deep and soft

Go finer for thin and hard

Fit width to machine and cut

Range highlights

Saw37C Flexback Carbon Bandsaw Blade

General Purpose Bi-Metal Bandsaw Blade

Unset Carbide TCD Bandsaw Blade

Saw37GRIT Tungsten Carbide Bandsaw Blade

Ripper37 Sawmill Bandsaw Blade

Saw37C Palletband Bandsaw Blade

Freshcut37 Food Cutting Bandsaw Blade

Where these blades work

Materials we cover in depth

Frequently asked questions